Study of microbial contamination of mobile phones of healthcare workers (HCWs)

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Original Article

Author Details : Ashu Rajput, Umar Farooq*, Sudhir Singh, Vasundhara Sharma, Shweta R Sharma, Imran Ahamad, Sana Nudrat, Shivendra Mohan

Volume : 7, Issue : 1, Year : 2021

Article Page : 8-11

https://doi.org/10.18231/j.ijmmtd.2021.003

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Abstract

Introduction: In order to provide an enhanced communication network, the worldwide infrastructure for mobile phones and telecommunication was developed in 1982 in Europe. In the modern-day scenario, Asia has the fastest growing number of mobile phone subscribers in the world. Around 75% of the world’s adults have the access to mobile phones.Mobile phones may act as fomites and may facilitate the transmission of microorganisms from one patient to another in the hospital during their treatments. These mobile phones are now described as technical Petri dishes where they could play a role in health-related infections as they
spread through the hands of healthcare staff.
Aim: To determine the microbial contamination from mobile phones of healthcare workers (HCWs). Objectives : To study the microbial contamination of mobile phones used by healthcare workers, Identify
the isolated organism.
Materials and Methods: All specimens were processed for gram staining, Culture was done for those samples which were showing gram positive or gram-negative organisms on gram stain on different culture plates (Nutrient agar, Blood agar, MacConkey agar). Plates were incubated for 24 hours at 370 C, after 24 hours of incubation the culture plates were examined for growth.
Result: We had swabbed the 134 mobile phones of health care workers, working in critical areas out of 134 mobile phones, 132 showed the growth of the bacterial pathogen in a significant amount and 2 were negative, so the overall contamination of the mobile phones was found to be 98.50% and no growth was found to be 1.49%.
Conclusion: The most predominant bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus MRSA in our study. It may be due to MRSA residue in the nose, when it comes to our hand then individuals get exposed to cross infection. The dominance of clinical phones that could be contaminated by different microorganisms inside the ICUs and OTs has become unacceptable. there are no rules and regulation for staff to carry their phone in sterile area like OTs, ICUs. Study showed there is no cleaning guidelines for the mobile of health care workers.

Keywords: health care associated infection mobile phone, staphylococcus aureus.

How to cite : Rajput A , Farooq U , Singh S , Sharma V , Sharma S R, Ahamad I , Nudrat S , Mohan S , Study of microbial contamination of mobile phones of healthcare workers (HCWs). IP Int J Med Microbiol Trop Dis 2021;7(1):8-11

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